Knifing victim found in SoNo street dies

Published 8:00 pm, Saturday, June 14, 2008

An off-duty officer responding to shots fired near the intersection of Woodward and Burritt avenues found the bloody body of a young man surrounded by a crowd of people.

The 19-year-old victim, whose name was not released by police, had been stabbed to death and a gun was found near his body, according to police.

A source close to the The Hour said the victim was a former Norwalk resident named George Vontrell who recently moved to Bridgeport. Sources also tell The Hour he is related to Thounsa Addison Jr., a 17-year-old Norwalk resident who was shot and killed on Cross Street in January 2005.

Vontrell's death marks the second stabbing incident on Woodward Avenue in the past two days. Early Friday morning, a 19-year-old city man was stabbed outside a local business at 15 Woodward Ave. No arrests have been made in this case.

Late Friday night, according to police, Officer Timothy Marquis, who was off duty, was driving home on Woodward Avenue late Friday when noticed a large group of youths hanging out near the intersection of Woodward and Burritt avenues in front of businesses.

As the officer drove past the teens, he heard several shots fired and phoned police at 11:17 p.m.

When Marquis turned his car around, he heard several more gun shots and saw a young man lying on the sidewalk with a large crowd around him, police said.

The victim had injuries consistent with stab wounds, police said. A gun was found near the victim and spent bullet casings were recovered around the victim, police said.

An ambulance was called and the victim was transported to Norwalk Hospital, where he died shortly thereafter, police said.

During the time of the incident, police also responded to an alarm going off at South China restaurant at 42 Woodward Ave. Two men were reportedly running down Burritt Avenue near the time of the stabbing, according to a police dispatcher. Police have not confirmed if the two incidents are related to the stabbing.

And at approximately 12:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Norwalk Hospital emergency room for crowd control. It is unclear whether this was related to the murder.

The unidentified 19-year-old stabbing victim is the second teenager to be ftally stabbed in Norwalk this year.

Tykwan Hunt, 17, was stabbed to death after leaving a Jan. 11 party on Linden Street. His body was found behind McDonald's, 340 Main Ave., the following morning.

Amos Brown Jr., 16, was arrested for Hunt's murder and he is currently awaiting trial.